Vettori Seals Last-Ball Perth Victory For New Zealand

New Zealand 185-8 (Taylor 65) beat
Australia 181 (M Hussey 49, Mills 4-35) by two wickets
Scorecard
1st One Day International, Perth

New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori hit the last ball of the first One Day International against Australia for four to seal a two-wicket win for the tourists in Perth.

Kyle Mills took four wickets as New Zealand bowled Australia out for 181 and despite Ross Taylor hitting 65, the match went right down to the wire.

Mills removed both Australian openers Shaun Marsh (15) and David Warner (7) before Australia found themselves in disarray at 27 for three and 54 for five.

Mike Hussey (49) and Brad Haddin (31) batted watchfully to keep their side in the game but Mills returned to bowl both Haddin and Mitchell Johnson for 20.

Captain Ricky Ponting and vice-captain Michael Clarke were both run out after making five and 12 respectively with the next best score for the home side 18 from James Hopes.

Mills finished with four for 35 after Australia won the toss and chose to bat, Iain O'Brien took two wickets while there was one apiece for Tim Southee and Jeetan Patel.

Australia needed early wickets to stay in the game and Shaun Tait had Brendon McCullum trapped in front for a two-ball duck to get the ball rolling for the hosts.

Martin Guptill (13) and Peter Fulton (7) fell cheaply before Grant Elliot (8) was caught by Mike Hussey off of Hopes to leave New Zealand reeling at 64 for four.

Taylor, who hit six fours and a six before cutting Tait to Clarke with 20 balls of the innings remaining, found support from Neil Broom, who contributed 29 and Mills, who made 26.

Taylor's dismissal threw  the game wide open and New Zealand needed seven to win from the final over and brought the scores level from the final ball.

Vettori, who closed unbeaten on ten, was the right man for the job, steering a Nathan Bracken full toss to backward point to put his side 1-0 up in the five-match series and condemn Australia to their fourth ODI defeat on the bounce.

Australia were later fined for bowling their overs too slowly, Ponting losing 20% of his match fee with the rest of the players forfeiting 10%.

© Cricket World 2009